taken 8 years ago, near to Thetford, Norfolk, Great Britain

Thetford was a bit of afterthought on the Breckland line, at first the Norwich to Brandon Railway company were going to build right past and construct a small branch line, works even started. However the line did reach Thetford and now it is a major station.

The Norwich to Peterborough railway line is a well used passenger and freight railway, the Norwich-Ely part opened in 1845. It is split into two sections, the Breckland line runs from Ely to Norwich and the other is Ely to Peterborough. The railway has gone through many changes since opening like station, siding, branch and signal box closures. In 2011/12 the next big change is due. Currently only the Wymondham to Norwich section has been 'modernised' with colour lights. Steam age semaphores, signal boxes and hand operated crossings are common on this line. It was only recently in April 2009 that telegraphing was removed. In 2011/12 the Ely to Norwich section will be fully modernised. Each signal box will be replaced by a cabin which receives instructions/signals by fibre optics or by radio (GSM-R) from the controlling signal box (Cambridge). The improvements will allow for 100mph running on some sections. Most hand operated level crossings will have automatic barriers (full length), radar pods are being used to monitor the crossings for obstructions.
At Wymondham the Norwich-end ground frame and siding connections will be removed, thankfully the Mid Norfolk connection and former sidings will stay. Crossover trackwork will be removed at Shippea Hill station and Lakenheath, Eccles Road station will keep its crossover.
With these changes it was only right to record them.
Starting at Wymondham, the signal box has changed little since it was built. It was recently repainted in Great Eastern Railway colours like the rest of the line.TG1100 : Wymondham South Junction Signal Box
Next along and only a few miles away is the charming station at Spooner Row, still fully controlled by tall semaphores. TM0997 : Spooner Row Signal Box
Next along is the large station at Attleborough.TM0595 : Attleborough station
Eccles road is reached with its impressive signal box and crossing. TM0190 : Eccles Road Station - the signal box
Harling road is next along, very similar to Eccles roadTL9787 : Harling Road Level Crossing and Signal Box
The next along is the large station at Thetford, originally destined to be bypassed but thankfully the railway curved into Thetford.TL8683 : Thetford Signal Box
Another large signal box is reached at Brandon, also the original Norwich to Brandon railway passes onto the Eastern Counties Brandon to Cambridge line. The lines opened on the same day. TL7887 : Brandon signal box
Near the famous nature reserve and airbase is Lakenheath box next to the hand crossing and station. TL7286 : Lakenheath Signal Box
Shippea hill is next, this isolated station is one of my favourites.TL6484 : Shippea Hill Railway Station, Cambridgeshire
The signal boxes around Ely were sadly demolished in the early 1990s. Next, we move onto the Ely to Peterborough line. As far as I know this line is safe for now.
Manea is the first box, alongside in a siding is an old southern brake van.TL4791 : Manea Signal Box
March is reached next, this area had three signal boxes, south, east and north. TL4297 : Level Crossing East of MarchTL4197 : March East Signal Box
Turves/Three Horse Shoes Signal Box is next along, this box and the derelict signal box next to it was the site of an agricultural branch closed many years ago. TL3396 : Three Horse Shoes signal boxTL3396 : Three Horse Shoes Junction Signal Box
Not far from Turves is the last station before Peterborough, Whittlesea.
This box was green until a line wide signal box repaint. TL2796 : Whittlesea Signal BoxTL2796 : Whittlesea Signal Box
Lastly the Kings Dyke box is reached, near the brickworks. TL2497 : Kings Dyke Level Crossing